Some parents in Saskatchewan are eager for a baby formula shortage, which has been going on for months, to come to an end.
Jessica Wellman is a mom of two. She said she hasn’t been able to find a specific brand of formula since having her daughter six weeks ago.
“[My son is] two-years-old. When he was born premature we went through formula after formula, about five different kinds, before we found the Kirkland brand that really worked with his stomach,” she said.
“With our daughter, we really wanted to find the same formula because we knew that worked for our son. It’s not good for a baby’s tummy to constantly be swapping between formulas.”
According to Health Canada, the temporary closure of a U.S. manufacturing facility in February has affected formula stock. The plant has since reopened but may not return to full production capacity until 2023.
“Health Canada is aware of the current global supply constraints on infant formula and has been working to mitigate possible impacts on supply to Canada,” the agency said in a statement.
Although she is able to breastfeed, Wellman said she would like to stop as soon as possible.
“Due to postpartum depression, I really want to stop breastfeeding because it’s mentally stressing on me,” Wellman said.
“It’s been a few weeks of me continuing to breastfeed even though I don’t want to because we can’t get access to the formula we want.”
Wellman isn’t the only parent in this situation. She said she’s seen many others posting online about trying to find either the same brand or their own preferred brands.
“People have been searching all over Facebook for anyone who has unopened containers, or even opened containers, of formula just so they can get some,” Wellman said.
Bailie Shindle is another mom who has been on the hunt for formula.
Her daughter was born in January. After some time in hospital, her baby was unable to breastfeed.
“We decided then to switch to formula not knowing that we would have the crazy time that we’re having with trying to find anything,” Shindle said.
“For the last three or four months, we have not been able to find anything.”
Shindle said they also like the Kirkland brand but haven’t been able to find it.
“We’ve tried an array of other ones that are much more expensive but we still are not able to get anything. They are all now sold out as well,” she said.
When the stores don’t have what she needs, Shindle has been turning to Facebook to find formula. She’s also posted formulas that her daughter didn’t like online to either swap or sell to other parents.
“Within five minutes, 30 other moms had messaged or commented saying that they’d be willing to buy it because they were in the same scenario and could not find formula for their children,” she said.
Shindle said it’s been frustrating and concerning trying to work through this over the past few months.
“Shelves are literally empty,” Shindle said. “Who would have thought that feeding your child in 2022 would be so difficult and that you would lose sleep trying to figure out where you would find formula?”
Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Health said the shortage of specialty formulas for babies with food allergies and certain medical conditions is not back to normal, but has subsided compared to how it was months ago.
“The Saskatchewan Ministry of Health and Saskatchewan Health Authority will continue to monitor supply levels of specialty formula until the shortage has been completely resolved,” the ministry said in a statement.
PARENT STIGMA
Throughout her struggles to find formula over the past few months, Shindle said she’s seen a lot of negative comments targeted towards parents on social media.
“I almost feel like there’s a stigma attached to it,” Shindle said.
“Comments like ‘well if you were just breastfeeding then you wouldn’t have this problem.’”
She said not everybody has a choice.
“Some moms can’t pump, they can’t breastfeed, there’s not enough supply there,” Shindle said.
“Whether it’s a choice or whether it’s necessary to do in any way, I feel like moms right now are just struggling to try to feed their children.”
Shindle said having strangers weighing in and telling moms they’re making the wrong choice is heartbreaking.
OTHER OPTIONS
Health Canada is offering some suggestions for parents who can’t access their preferred formula:
- Breastfeed if possible
- Reserve specialized formulas for babies with allergies and medical conditions
- Speak to a healthcare professional about your baby’s needs
- Try different brands under the direction of a healthcare professional
- Introduce solid foods when your baby reaches six months old
Health Canada said it’s normal for infants to take some time to adjust to a new formula. (hyperlink)
It suggests starting gradually by replacing a small amount of a baby’s bottle with new formula, increasing the amount at each feeding.
Health Canada suggests trying new formula for at least seven to 14 days unless severe symptoms occur including immediate vomiting, difficulty breathing, hives, severe diarrhea and more.
